Tackling drought issues for food security

29 November 2018

This summer's drought is a harsh reminder of how unusual weather can cause havoc for farmers – even in a rich part of the world like Western Europe. While there is a wealth of satellite data available to help predict the risk of drought, it can be daunting for a non-expert to handle. ESA's Food Security Thematic Exploitation Platform makes this task much easier.

‘German grain yield tumbles in the heat' and ‘Record drought grips Germany's breadbasket' were just a couple of the headlines to hit the news in the summer. Now, the first assessments for Germany's winter wheat reveal that yield is down by 35%, making this year's harvest the lowest in 15 years.

As climate change takes a grip, extreme weather events – not just heatwaves, but also storms and cold – are likely to become more frequent and more severe.